"Post Malone, this is Mission Control Houston, please call station for a voice check."
I didn't have this on my Earth Day bingo card, but you know what? I'm totally here for it. It's Earth Day, and who more fitting to call the International Space Station (ISS) than rapper and musician Post Malone? NASA posted a video of his call to the agency's YouTube channel on Thursday (April 20), and all parties involved seemed excited for the interaction.
"Station, this is Posty… How do you hear me?" With seemingly nervous excitement, Post Malone, or Austin Post as he is known offstage, began his call with NASA astronauts Steve Bowen and Woody Hoburg, who launched to the ISS last month on SpaceX's Crew-6 mission.
Related: Earth Day: What is it and why does it matter?
"My name is Austin. I wanted to say thank you guys so very much for talking to me. I know you guys are busy and got a lot going on, man. It's an honor for me, and it's such a cool thing to be able to talk to you guys," Posty told the pair.
Both astronauts expressed similar sentiments. "This is a real treat," Hoburg said.
The call was set up interview-style, with Hoburg and Bowen answering questions from Mr. Post. "I'd imagine you guys up there have the most baller view in the universe," he told them before asking about seeing weather on Earth from outer space.
This launched the two astronauts into a storm of wonder as each recalled the ISS' miraculous views of planet Earth. "That's actually my favorite thing to do," Bowen told Post Malone, referring to Earth-watching from the station.
Bowen cited the amazement of seeing lightning flashes during nighttime thunderstorms, to which Hoburg offered his agreement. "There's lightning striking somewhere on Earth pretty much all the time," Hoburg said.
Post Malone went on to ask Hoburg, a rookie astronaut, how his first time in space is going. In response, Hoburg spoke more about the wonders of seeing the planet from space, the realizations one has at seeing Earth without borders and the planet's thin atmosphere, which protects humanity and all other life on the planet's surface from the many hazards of the void.
Their conversation lasted about four minutes and focused on the fragility of our planet and the sheer wonder of getting to see it from space.
Signing off, Hoburg wished Posty a happy Earth Day. "Thank you, guys," Post Malone said to them, adding, "I look forward to following up with you guys and keeping track of your journey, man. Love y'all!"
This story is dedicated to my brother Jacob Dinner, who would have gotten an absolute kick out of this crossover of interests between us.
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